La Fortuna and Arenal Costa Rica Travel Guide

I remember the first time I made my way to the town of La Fortuna in Costa Rica’s highlands. I was told of a volcano that stood tall above the town, hot springs that flow from the heated mountain, and of a hidden waterfall hidden among the cloud forest. It seemed like a dream destination, the thing out of storybooks, the type of place only the very fortunate get to visit. However, when I got to La Fortuna, fresh off a visit to the sunny coast, I was met by cold air, rain and the view of nothing but clouds which touched to the very altitude I walked along.

Rather than tucking my tail between my legs and letting my luck get to me I decided to explore through the rain. I hiked down to the waterfall in the rain and as I arrived the sun popped out giving me ample opportunity to go for a swim. And I’ll never forget the moment when I walked into town to notice the clouds were separating for a moment allowing me a glance at the great volcano. It was glorious, although it disappeared back into the white shelter after just a short cameo.

When I first visited La Fortuna it was a sleepy town with just one hostel and a bunch of 5 star resorts. It has now erupted to a cloudforest getaway in the mountains. Still, there are few places in the country where you’ll get such a great feel for the cloud forest environment.

Time Needed: 3-5 Days
Backpacker’s Budget: $50-55 a day (less if you don’t plan on rafting or visiting the hot springs)

Things to do in La Fortuna

Volcano Trekking:

Waterfalls: My favourite thing to do in Arenal is to hike down to La Catarata de la Fortuna. There are two waterfalls that stream out of the valley wall and a bunch of swimming holes just down stream (you can’t swim directly under the falls). At last check the price to get into the falls area was about $7

Canyoning: One of my favourite activites in the world, and the perfect setting for it. Explore the canyons from the waters. It’s almost like rafting without a raft.

Rafting: If you prefer to be in a raft, there are some great rafting rivers nearby. But like most activities in La Fortuna, it’s quite over-priced. You’ll be paying about $65 for class 3 rapids and $90 for class 4 rapids. That being said, the rapids are awesome and the trips are exceptional.

Hot Springs: After all that activity you’re probably due for a soak. However, for most backpackers, taking in one of the hot springs is a bit of a splurge, but it is worth it. The most amazing hot springs are Tabacon which you’ll have to catch a taxi or mini-bus to since they are about 15km out of town. The cost of entry at last check was about $60 which is a bit insane. However, if you visit after 7pm you get a discount of about 25%. If you can’t afford that, try to make a reservation at Eco-Thermales nearby which only charges $25 but is far less extravagant.

Where to Eat in La Fortuna

If you’re eating on a budget in La Fortuna there are lots of places that serve the traditional dish of Casado at a good price. If your budget has a little bit of room to play then the options are quite vast.

Soda La Parada: Right on the edge of central park this is a great place to eat on the cheap while still having great people watching capabilities. Most of the fare is local.

Chelas: This is almost like a Costa Rican version of a tapas bar. You can get meals, but most of the things on the menu are small dishes. It is quite good and wont trash your wallet either.

Mirador Arenal Steakhouse: If you’re craving steak this is the best bet in town. However, it is a bit more expensive as a steak dish and a side with a beer cost me $14 with a tip.

Where to Stay in La Fortuna

Like I mentioned in the intro, the first time I visited La Fortuna there was just one hostel. What’s more, is that hostel was still under construction. Now there are a number of other options, but what is amazing is that the best place in town is still the first. The Arenal Backpackers’ Resort is a great place with a cool vibe and, best of all, proper warm showers.

Getting out of Town

If you are going to Monteverde it’s much farther than it appears on the map because of the volcano and lake. It will take you about 8 hours to get there by bus. However, there are lots of options to take a mini-bus then boat then mini-bus to get there in about 4 hours (they call it jeep-boat-jeep). If you’re really on a budget though you might want to do as I did and just suck it up and take the bus.